Chinatown in London

          The present Chinatown is part of the City of Westminster, occupying the area in and

around Gerrard Street. It contains a number of Chinese restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets,

souvenir shops, and other Chinese-run businesses.

       The first area in London known as Chinatown was located in the Limehouse area of the 

East End of London. After World War II, however, the growing popularity of Chinese cuisine 

and an influx of immigrants from Hong Kong led to an increasing number of Chinese restaur-

ants being opened elsewhere.

     The present Chinatown, which is off Shaftesbury Avenue did not start to be established

until the 1970s. Up until then, it was a regular Soho area, run-down, with Gerrard Street the

main thoroughfare. It was dominated by the Post Office, facing Macclesfield Street, and other

major establishments were The Tailor & Cutter House, at 43/44, now a Chinese supermarket

and restaurant, the Boulougne Restaurant, near the Wardour Street end, and by Peter Mario's

Restaurant at the other end. Other businesses included a master baker's, the Sari Centre,

Lesgrain French Coffee House, Harrison Marks' Glamour Studio, an Indian restaurant and

various brothels. Probably the first Chinese restaurants opened in Lisle Street, parallel to

Gerrard St, and then spread gradually. The Tailor & Cutter did not close down until around 1974.

      The area boasts over 80 restaurants showcasing some of London's finest and most

authentic Asian cuisine.

      In 2005, the property developer Rosewheel proposed a plan to redevelop the eastern

part of Chinatown. The plan was opposed by many of the existing retailers in Chinatown,

as they believe that the redevelopment will drive out the traditional Chinese retail stores

from the area and change the ethnic characteristic of Chinatown.

     The London Chinatown Community Centre (LCCC) has been housed in the Chinatown

area since it was founded in 1980 by Dr Abraham Lue. The Centre claims to have received

40,000 people for help and assistance since its foundation. Located since 1998 on the 2nd

floor of 28-29 Gerrard Street, the Centre relocated to 2 Leicester Court in 2012, above the

Hippodrome

      A basement in Gerrard Street was the location of the first rehearsal of Led Zeppelin in

August 1968, where they played "Train Kept A-Rollin'".[10] The exact location of the basement

is unknown, and it is believed to have been converted into business premises many years ago.

                                                                      ------  reprint news from China Royal Gardens